SPacejUNK

SPacejUNK

2020 - 2021 Nick Grellier

CIRCULAR SAW

She broke her arms when she was ten. She dived off the swing at the village playground when Nicky Padwick and Harris and Lewis walked past. In those days playgrounds were places of danger; the swings were built on concrete. It was the heatwave summer of ’76 and the casts were itchy as hell but the worst part of it was when they cut off the plaster with a circular saw and she thought they were going to cut off her arms.

Extract from Cheer Up, Love Nick Grellier 2021

THE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING

NG • yes – they are therapy drawings (laughing) or they were

EL • do you consider that they were?

NG • yes

EL • I love that one! (laughing)

NG • that was just one of those ones I just thought – oh fuck it! It’s rude

EL • I really like it - with the finger….

NG • no, no it was funny because that’s just an off cut of some other drawing that’s in here and just that sum …. that the kids did on the back of a book, and it’s – it was just the answer to everything

NG • … I’ve got a whole trouser leg, and the zip one, was because … I actually burned all my dad’s suits that I had taken, except for one, and I had taken apart this suit and when I undid the zip I found his pubes …

EL • oh (laughing)

NG • (laughing) which was just eugh and also sad and funny and just they are really old – he doesn’t go to the office and wear a suit (anymore)

NG • … I think I should be (more) clever, because I hardly ever sell anything – I don’t make any money (laughing) – I should find a way of making some money doing this – and then I think I’d rather work in a bookshop …

EL • wait to be discovered like Hilma af Klimt, or something

NG • yes – when I’m dead (laughing)

EL • I always think – when I’m dead people will really appreciate what I’m making (laughing)

NG • hopefully not long after, because otherwise the kids will have burnt everything

NG • sometimes I’m going to stop doing this and then I realise I can’t … and I do have real feelings of pointlessness – big feelings of pointlessness – and especially this year, and especially now – it’s just got to the end of managing to cope with those feelings and then – then just sitting down and doing another one, and it’s ok again…

NG • … ah that moment of everything else buggering off

NG • … [he] would always say I have a quite snappy tongue – I don’t know that I do that – that I would just say something quite EL • sharp?

NG • yes, maybe sharp – but to me it’s just – well maybe something about allowing yourself to see the funny side of things – and maybe – you know – women aren’t meant to be sharp

NG • he was out there shouting ‘it’s all bullshit, it’s all bullshit’ and his followers were shouting ‘bullshit, bullshit’ (laughing) and I just thought that’s so brilliant – I love that

NG • … people were – so where is he? Where’s Nick?

Excerpts from interview series with artist and PhD drawing researcher Emily Lucas 2019 - 2021

SPacejUNK 597 collage

This Is The Bottom Line 596 collage, earth

This Form Should Not Be Sent 595 ink, collage

Step Down

594 ink, collage

Extreme Weather Patterns

592 ink, collage

So, well, mm, Yes 591 ink, collage

Things That Help You Work Out What You Want To Be When You’re A Grown Up

590 graphite, collage

He Walked Into The Middle Of The Road And Got Stuck There

589 graphite, collage

There There 588 ink, graphite, collage

Ingerlaand 587 ink, graphite, collage

If You Satisfy The Condition For Both Allowances Claim The Housekeeper Allowance Because It Is More (Than The Daughter’s Services Allowance) 585 ink, collage

He Shook It And This Stuff Fell Out

584 ink, collage

Occasionally It Feels Like A Fucked Up Dream

583 ink, collage

Is It An Object Of Desire Or Just Bollocks

582 ink, collage

Making Too Many Assumptions

581 ink

It’s Been A Year Since Then

580 ink, collage

Balance Is Fleeting (Enjoy)

579 ink, collage

Go On Explain It To Me Then 578 ink, collage

Totally In Control Of Things

577 ink, collage

Please Do Not Detach 576 ink, collage

A Vestal Virgin 575 ink, collage

Anticipating Disappointment She Performed A Diversion Tactic

574 ink, collage

Me Grant (Strike Out Words Which Do Not Apply)

573 ink, sharpie, collage

Sosohoho

572 ink

A Carpy Day And We’re Having It

571 ink, collage

Illicit Kissing

570 ink

20 40 60

569 ink, graphite, coloured pencil

Dirty Skirting

568 ink, graphite, collage

Systematic Mind Control

567 ink, graphite, collage

Little Solo Dance

566 ink, collage

Comms

565 ink, collage

I Can’t Do Without You

564 ink, graphite, collage

We’re On A Break 563 ink, collage

Locked In A Preverbal Limbo

ink, collage

A Mix Of Dread And Expectation

561 collage

I Am 560 collage

Vax Cert 559 ink, collage

No Unauthorised Access 558 ink, collage

Fact Checking

557 ink, graphite, collage

Holeyer Than You

556 ink, collage

Headstand, Not The Yoga Sort 555 ink, collage

Cells

554 ink, collage

It Was Hard To Explain 553 ink, collage

collage

Fully Jabbed Up And Ready For Life

551 ink, collage

In The Hope That Something Will Stay

550 ink, collage

Cod Psychologist

549 ink, collage

Cell Phone Lunch

548 ink, collage

Don’t Hurry Or You’ll Miss It 547 ink, collage

Days With Dad

546 ink, collage

Every Day

545 collage

Have You Seen My Mother 544 ink, collage

He Is Unfathomably Angry With Me About The Present. On Account Of The Tax Man

543 ink, collage

They Don’t Fit In This Box So Don’t Put Them In It

542 ink, collage

A Little Bit Dirty. Closer To Life

541 ink, collage

If A Reply Is Necessary Please Use The Back 540 ink, collage

A Perfectly Reasonable Fear Of Doorways

539 ink, collage

Er It’s Ok 538 ink, screen print, collage

How Do You Know Where I Am?

537 ink, collage

(I Am) Your Slave 536 screen print

Ooze Privy To It

535 ink, collage

No Easy Chair

534 ink, collage

You Don’t Need To Fill The Gap Between Us With Noise

533 ink, collage

Using Control Knob On Fluid Regulator Set Pressure At 5 To 10 psi

532 ink, collage

Pppppick Up Your Poo So The Pissed Off And Protesting Person

Can Stop Pointing Out The Poo With Yellow Paint. Please 531 ink, screen print, collage

Breaking The Habit In Sixty Six Days

530 ink, found drawing, collage

It’s Taken So Long To Get Here

529 ink, collage

A Letter From God. Whoever He Was 528 ink, collage

Hey, I’m Worried About Your Spine

527 ink, collage

It All Depends On How You Look At It It Might Be Because You Keep On Talking (That I Feel Like Punching You)

526 ink, collage

I Think Someone Has Moved My Room 525 ink, collage

Open Heart Surgery

524 ink, collage

Everybody’s Got Something 523 ink, collage

It Was An Unspectacle Day 522 collage

Weak Connection They Can’t Hear Themselves

521 ink, collage

These People Are Overreacting 520 ink, collage

Circuit Board Error

519 ink, collage

Yes It’s Really Great That You’re Letting Your Daughter Be An Artist

But Please Shut Up About You

518 ink, screen print, collage

517 ink, screen print, collage

Mavis Is Taking The Minutes At The Club Hut

516 screen print, collage

At The Start Of Today Everything Was Quite Clear

515 ink, collage

Gold Fish

514 ink, screen print, collage

Today I Am Mostly Doing This

513 ink, collage

512 ink, collage

Oxygen

ink

One Of Them Is An Alien 511

They Should Have Addressed These Issues Earlier In The Day

510 ink, collage

I Love It When Someone Sneaks In A Joke Like That

509 ink, gouache, collage

Do Stop Apologising 508 ink, collage

When She Was Being Sincere She Tended To Swear A Bit

507 ink, found drawing, collage

Mavis Wanted To Give Up Everything Else And Grow Plants

506 ink, found drawing, collage

And Here’s A Diagram From Mavis (Anatomically Correct Maybe)

505 ink, found drawing, collage

Things Were Trifficly Improved By A Walk

504 ink, collage

Not At All Sure What Happened Here But Something Isn’t Right 503 collage

Not Now Arthur I’m Going Down the Pub, Mavis

502 screen print, collage

I’d Rather be Arthur 501 graphite, found text, collage

Filing System Error

500 ink, collage

When Will I Will I Be Famous 499 ink, collage

The Private Dicks Were Distracting Today (Of All Days)

498 ink, collage

Obviously Things Were Getting Moroser

497 ink, graphite, collage

It’s Not Really That Big 495 screen print

Unimpressed By Your Big Extension

494 screen print

Boof

493 ink, gouache, collage

Best Left Unsniffed

492 ink, gouache

Cumbersome Thing With Anthropomorphic Attributes And An Air Of Inertia About It

491 ink

Sometimes It’s Better Not To Be Visible

490 ink, collage

Self-Supporting Reinforcements (Perforated Strip no.2)

489 ink

Wait, Wait, There’s A Hair In His Fly

488 ink, screen print, collage

Perforated Strip

487 ink, collage

Missing Person 486 ink, collage

Woah, Curdled

485 ink

The Lost Hour Became Days 484 ink, graphite

Innit 483 collage

A Fix It Up Person

482 ink, oil paint, collage

This Head Needs An Away Break

481 ink, collage

Why Aye I See (Today)

480 graphite, found text, collage

She Swallowed A Fly Perhaps She’ll Suffer The Consequences

479 graphite, gouache, collage

Does Anyone Else Remember Weird Beard Or Is It Just Me

478 ink, collage

There Was Cake

477 ink, textile, collage

Disappearing Slowly 476 graphite

Later I touch my youngest child when I leave the room. Just a brief touch, an I Love You. When I come back half a minute later they’re at the other side of the room stealing biscuits. They grin. I love them. 475 ink, found drawing, collage

He Kept It Behind His Ear Straight Up 474 graphite, collage

What Would You Do If You Knew

473 ink, graphite, gouache, collage

The Controls Are Doing Something Slightly Odd Again 472 graphite, collage

The Mothers

470 ink, collage

Yesterday I Walked Into A Tree

469 ink, oil paint, collage

Practice Nurse

467 ink, gouache, collage

Orbiting the Mother Ship 466 ink, gouache

New Ways Doing The Same Thing

465 ink, collage

Can’t Remember How To Do It

464 ink, collage

Non Sense Face Time

463 ink, collage

A Live Human Connection In Time And Space 462 ink

The Door Is Open. Please Close The Door Behind You 461 ink, gouache, collage

Not Yours Anymore 460 ink, gouache

Alter Ego : Admin Man

459 ink, collage

No. Can’t Do It Today

458 ink, graphite, collage

I’m

Oops I Did It Again 456 ink, gouache, collage

Butt Head

455 ink, oil, graphite

An Everyday Experience Of Silence

454 ink, collage

Things Might Be Falling Apart But 453 ink, gouache

Is Yours Ok 452 gouache, collage

She Keeps Shrinking The Jumpers

451 collage

Administration Is The Enemy Of Artists or What Is It You Actually Do Every Day

450 ink, collage

Seemingly Seeking Oblivion or Maybe It’s Just

The Usual February Blues

449 ink, collage

Crotchety Quavering 448 ink

The Mighty Pencil 447 ink, collage

It Never Comes Out How You Think It Will

446 ink, gouache, collage

My Mate Luce Said I Know You’re A Toughie But Maybe You’ve Got Internal Bleeding

445 ink, collage

Doing Some Death Cleaning 444 graphite, ink, charcoal, found drawing

Think Worry Shut Up 443 ink, collage

Bingeing On The Bridge

442 ink, gouache, collage

Power Team

441 ink, gouache, collage

It Was Growing Harder 440 ink, graphite, collage

A Most Cathartic Expulsion

439 ink, gouache, collage

Proper Immune Response Is It 438 ink, gouache, collage

Almost Complete Loss Of MO

437 ink, graphite, collage

Boxed 436 ink, graphite

I Wish I Had Drawn This Drooring 435 sharpie

Alchemise Terror Into Art 434 ink, charcoal

A Touching Moment Of Unity

433 ink, gouache

Low Level Social Engagement 431 ink

Not That Sort Of Thing You’ve Got It All Wrong 430 ink, collage

I was walking past the queue at the dentist and a woman said I always need a poo when I’m about to see the dentist 429 ink, sharpie, collage

Non Politically Correct Fatty Deposits

428 ink

Chances Are I’m In (If You Call) 427 ink, graphite, collage

The Tedium Of Chasing People Up

426 ink, collage

It Might Seem A Bit Odd But You’ll Get Used To It

425 ink, gouache, collage

Please Stop Reversing Over This Head 424 ink, collage

It All Went Tits Up

Not Sure Where To Stand It Looks Impossible 422 ink, graphite, collage

Absolutely No Ideas 421 ink, watercolour, collage

And In Other News

420 ink, packing tape

An Issue

I Can’t Remember What It Was He Said To Me

418 ink, graphite, collage

Say It Over And Over It Stops Making Sense

417 ink, collage

In Pursuit Of The Perfect System

416 ink, sharpie, graphite, gouache, collage

I Hate Waiting For You I Just Can’t Stand Waiting 415 ink, graphite, coloured pencil, collage

Things Don’t Really Make Much Sense

414 ink, collage

On Entirely Different Wavelengths 413 ink

Storage Units

412 ink, gouache, collage

If Only I Could Explain It 411 ink

We Were Just Talking But We Didn’t Seem To Connect 410 ink, collage

Stop Distracting Her From Extracting The Most From Her Numbered Hours (Cheer Up Love)

409 ink, graphite, collage

Not A Saint But Better Than The Devil

408 ink, graphite, collage

Blurred Vision Holding On Tight 407 ink, graphite, collage

Explosions of Bullshit

406 ink, gouache, collage

Got To Get Out Of Here There’s A Box On The Doorstep 405 ink, collage

Socket To Me Baby

404 charcoal, collage

Oo You Are Awful But I Like You 403 ink, graphite, collage

Instruction Manual Anyone 402 ink, collage

Don’t Like It But There Isn’t A Choice 401 ink, graphite

Wherever It Goes It Doesn’t Go Anywhere

I’ll Deal With This Later I’m Not Really In The Mood

399 graphite, charcoal

We Didn’t Touch Or Breathe We Only Walked 398 ink, collage

It’s Ok You Can Talk To Yourself

397 ink, collage

It’s The Ones In Charge Who 396 ink, graphite, collage

Tracked No Signature 394 ink, collage

Beware She Persists

Unexpected Thing

392 ink, graphite, collage

Drawing Number 25 391 ink

Finally 390 collage

In Limbo Not Dancing

388 ink, graphite, collage

Tier 4

387 ink, collage

Back Foot

385 ink, collage

Shot In The Arm

384 ink, collage

Walk Away If You Feel Uncomfortable You’re Listening To The News At Six 383 ink, gouache, collage

System Breakdown

382 ink, gouache, collage

Where Does It Go

381 ink

You Thinking What I’m Thinking

380 ink, collage

I Don’t Bloody Know Do I 379 ink

Shaky Foundations

ink

Moved Out Of Nowhere To Somewhere It’s Good 377 ink

It’s Been So Long 376 collage

Many People Make One Person It Gets Confusing 375 ink, graphite, collage

Error Code And The Law Of Sod 374 graphite

Words Spill Out With No Accompanying Thoughts 373 ink, graphite

Bloody Bastard Brain Disease

372 ink, collage

Bad Habits 371 ink

Eyes On The Horizon The Ground Is Shifting 370 ink

Low Capacity Don’t Expect A Reply Soon

369 ink, graphite, coloured pencil

Gravity Is Serious

368 ink, graphite

I Missed You 367 ink, graphite, collage

photograph Mike Garlick

SPacejUNK is a collection of 231 drawings following 366 TODAY drawings 2019 to 2020. Made between December 2020 and July 2021, the works are reproduced at their original size.

Special thanks to Emily Lucas for hours of meandering, funny and insightful conversation around and about autobiographical drawing and the materials we choose to use.

The drawings were made possible by insomnia, Alzheimer’s, COVID19, and The Patriarchy, my thanks to them. The final collage SPacejUNK 597 was made on the day that Bezos shot his load into space.

SPacejUNK NG 2022

All artwork © Nicola Grellier 2022

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photographing, recording or information storage and retrieval, without prior permission in writing from the artist.

Printed by Mike Horan Printing UK

Limited first edition of 200